


basketballs and boxy grins

by softskjin



Category: K-pop, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Enemies to Lovers, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, High School, Humor, if u squint
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-27
Updated: 2019-10-27
Packaged: 2021-01-04 19:54:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21203171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softskjin/pseuds/softskjin
Summary: "One shouldn’t simply act as if they have all the energy in the world to spend. It’s unthinkable.Not for Kim Taehyung, though."





	basketballs and boxy grins

It’s too early, you think as you narrow your eyes towards the clock displayed on the sports hall. Too early for _this_. Too early to be active and participate in sports activities. In your sleepy mind state, you ask yourself what was going on when the directors of your school decided it was a good idea to start Mondays with P.E. You soon realize they probably like to see their students suffer and act like zombies on every Monday morning, precisely at 8 AM.

It’s chaotic.

One shouldn’t simply act as if they have all the energy in the world to spend.

It’s unthinkable.

Not for Kim Taehyung, though.

Apparently, he has the stamina one should have for Monday mornings, but he’s apparently the only one in your class. No other classmate of yours is as willing to run a mile as he is.

“Today, we’ll start with a warm-up of twenty minutes running around the hall,” a lot of grunts are heard through the space, yours included. But the teacher just goes on. “Then we’ll play basketball.” That information seemed to lift the spirits of the boys, causing them to fist bump. As someone said in the past, ball is life.

But you grumble again. You don’t want to play any sports game. Not one with balls, and to be fully honest, not any kind of sport. But today, here you are, being forced to play basketball.

Oh, weekend, why are you so short?

After warming up your limbs, you start running. You’re running at the same rhythm as your group of friends, something your teacher absolutely despises and yet, you all just keep on doing. You never meant to challenge his authority, but doing things you dislike with friends makes the experience much more enjoyable.

So, yes, while you run around the hall, you also take the opportunity to talk about girl things—make-up and clothes, obviously. You’re not one to spend much on those things, neither your friends are, but dreaming of the day when every one of you has the money to buy them is something that motivates you to finish high school. And to not lose your god damn mind while walking in said school. Even though you have no clear idea about which university you’re applying to.

But, of course, wherever there’s a girl group, there’s a boy that always has to butt in and give their opinion. Precisely when nobody asked for it.

“You all truly never think about anything else except make-up and brand new clothes,” he pants from behind you. You immediately scowl when you recognize his voice. “I’m even surprised you aren’t talking about boys or talking shit about some girl one of you doesn’t like.”

Kim Taehyung.

Of course, he had to butt in. Of course, he had to speak his mind.

He truly doesn’t know when to shut up.

“No one’s talking to you, so piss off.” You bark without looking back and proceed with your jogging.

But he doesn’t give up.

He speeds a little to keep running by your side, matching your pace. You quickly send him your best death glare.

“I know you’re all bark and no bite. You’re so cute,” he grabs you by your shoulders and squeezes you in his arms.

You’re quick to protest and start hitting his chest with the poor strength you have.

“Get off me! Eww, you’re sweaty!”

“Don’t wanna~ you’re too cute to let go~”

“Get off!”

He releases you in an instant. You see the smirk on his lips as he departs from you and resumes his jogging. You’re angry and embarrassed at the close proximity you just shared—and you’re wishing you could take this opportunity to kick his ass, but you’re too busy trying to relieve your hot cheeks.

“Oh, my god, ____,” Jihyo approaches you snickering. You don’t want to look at her. You’re sure you’re blushing madly and you don’t want her to see it. “Does he have a crush on you?”

“Eww, Jihyo, please,” you try to dissuade her but you know it’s too late to her from stop making assumptions. She’s way too astute when it comes to matters of the heart. You won’t admit it but she will know. “Never!”

“You know what people say: never say never.”

You’re thankful she doesn’t go on with that topic of conversation, even though you too have heard of that saying and you too know you shouldn’t say never. But you’re saying it now because you’re too embarrassed.

You don’t know when it started, but even though Taehyung gets under your skin a lot, the truth is that there’s something about him that always makes you look at him. Not just _look_ at what he’s doing, but how he acts to other people. He’s actually nice to the people close to him. You saw him help an old teacher once—and you remember how out of character it seemed to you. But, towards you, he just seems to enjoy seeing you fuming whenever he’s teasing you. You came to the conclusion you must be his picking toy, but you’re having none of that. He doesn’t care and just keeps doing it and it’s unnerving.

He hates you, that’s probably it.

But then there’s this other thing that just makes you stare like a complete fool. His smile. His smile is beautiful. If there was a contest in your school, for example, and you had to vote for best smile, it would be his. You don’t know how he hasn’t noticed you staring and tease you about it, so you decided to keep doing it.

Not everything _is_ bad about Taehyung.

You just don’t understand why he acts the way he does with you.

It’s with a clouded mind that you finish your twenty-minute running.

After that, the teacher starts giving instructions.

“We’ll start with a one-on-one match. I don’t want to see boys with boys. I want pairs of boys and girls so I can see everyone is playing.”

It’s with more grunts that the teachers’ orders are received and you just want to die.

You would rather play—_ahem_, _pretend_ to, mind you—with a girl than with boys. They’re just brute. They’ll throw a ball as if you have their strength.

_Ugh._

Can you go home?

“Play with me,” that—_dude_ again. You answer with a growl. “Come on, don’t be like that.”

“Easy for you to say when you like sports.” You pout and cross your arms over your chest.

“Teacher~ ____ doesn’t want to participate in class~”

“I absolutely hate you, Kim Taehyung.”

With gritted teeth, you storm out towards a free space.

“It’s just a throw and catch. I promise I won’t throw it hard.”

Taehyung already has a ball. You don’t expect much, to be honest. He’s probably planning on doing things as he likes which will result in him throwing the ball so far so you will have to go catch it. And honestly, you will if it means you can burn time and finish this class faster.

It begins. He throws, you catch it. You throw at him, he catches it. Really, it’s the most boring thing your teacher could have imagined to do today. Even a game with a full team would be much more fun.

But Taehyung is actually enjoying it. You can see it in the way he catches and throws it at you—it’s as if he is playing a real game. His stance is as you’re supposed to do. But you don’t care about those things even though you might fail this class.

No, you just stand there, stiff as a tree. You catch when you need to, not particularly making the effort to flex your knees as you’re supposed to do or run for the ball when it’s going towards your sides.

No. It’s troublesome.

Even though Taehyung knows you’re not doing the bare minimum, he doesn’t give up and almost looks as if he’s trying to challenge you for a one-on-one. A real one.

“Can you stop that?”

“What? This is supposed to be a one-on-one,” he maintains his stance and waits for you to throw the ball.

“Yeah, you’re right. It’s a one-on-one featuring Kim Taehyung and Kim Taehyung.” You throw the ball which he is quick to catch.

“Come on, ____, play along.” He throws it back at you with little strength and it comes bouncing to your feet. “I promised I wouldn’t throw it hard, didn’t I? Come on, come on.”

_Ball is life_, you repeat in your mind.

You grab it with both hands and throw it in a chopped pass, actually doing the bare minimum this time.

“There you go. I’m doing the minimum.” You warn him. He answers with a grin.

“That’s a good girl,” the compliment falls too good on you. You have to inhale and you try to not get it to your head. Or else your cheeks are going to give you away. He absolutely can’t see that. “Catch!”

Well, he’s a liar.

For starters you know you can’t trust him for too long. Those dreamy grins, smirks and starry eyes are a lie—it’s the mask he has above his mirth. And you know that. You knew that that’s why, when there’s a moment all you can see is white, it’s when you wonder: why would you trust in such a kind of person? How even knowing how much he liked to annoy you, could you deceive yourself in thinking he has a good heart and doesn’t mean any harm towards you?

Today is such a shitty day.

“Taehyung!” you bark and hold your head with both hands. “That shit hurt!”

“Oh, shit—sorry!” he jumped towards you and took your hands away. This close proximity is… “Where does it hurt?” he inspects your head but all you can is his Adam’s apple. What—what would happen if you tilt your head back and look up?

His chin comes to view first. Then his lips which are slightly parted. You see the mole on his nose. The eyes.

You stop.

He stops.

You had no idea your faces were so close. Your noses are almost touching and you can feel his breathing touch your skin. You notice he has moles in his eyes, too, something that you probably didn’t notice before.

None of you seem to be able to move and suddenly you’re too aware.

Too aware that if any of you moves an inch forward you’ll end kissing.

_Kissing._

You’re the first one take a step back, then another, and another until you’re at least two meters away from him. You can’t believe what just happened. You just want to scream into the void.

“You—You did that on purpose, didn’t you?” you screech while pointing a finger at him. You’re blushing madly, but you need to have the upper hand on this. “You brute! You just—just want to win a good laugh because of me!”

“N-No! I didn’t mean to throw that the ball that hard!” he takes a step forward with hands held up. “I’m sorry… I’m sorry I hurt you.”

“I don’t think I can believe you when all you do is tease me.”

“Urh… You’re right. You’re right. Uhm…” he’s looking around and you can’t believe what you’re seeing. Is that a hint of a blush you see? Does this need to get more embarrassing than it already is?

This is too much for a Monday morning.

“What can I do… to make you believe me?”

You’re not sure you’re liking this turn of events.

“Stop messing with me once and for all.” You state with hands fidgeting with your shirt. Not like you hold great expectation… “If—if you don’t like me… I would rather have you ignore me for the rest of our lives than to have you tease me every day…”

“I don’t… I don’t _dislike_ you…” he’s confused and scratches his head. “When did I tell you I don’t like you?”

“You didn’t but you keep pestering my life so I guess that’s the same thing?”

His mouth suddenly drops. And the ball does too. It’s as if all color has drained from his face. He’s so pale… You wonder what even—

“I—” his shoulders start to shake. Ah, great, he won another laugh thanks to you. What have you done this time? “That’s not the same thing!” he cackles loudly and you just—growl. You want to go away from that pavilion. And from him. “The reason I keep pestering is because—”

“—_because_ apparently, I’m the kind of person to be made fun of, thank you very much, what a pleasure!”

“_____,” he calls, and he’s not laughing. In fact, he looks serious. And cute. With starry eyes and a sweet smile. Who does he think he is? “Are you that dense?”

“About what?! I think I understand everything perfectly!”

“No, you don’t… but I’ll tell you what,” he approaches you and leans towards you. It makes you take a step back instantly. “I won’t give up until you understand why I do these things.” He boops your nose and leaves to his previous position.

“So that means—you won’t leave me alone?”

“I won’t, no.”

“Wow… if high school couldn’t be any better…” with slumped shoulders, you straighten your back to continue the exercise. “Can’t you go easy on me? I would like to have happy memories of my high school days to share with my kids one day…”

“Ah, I’m pretty sure you’ll have plenty to tell them,” he throws the ball at you. This time, you catch it with firm hands. But you’re staring at him a little suspicious. “When you stop being dense, I mean. You’ll have so many stories to tell them…”

_Stupid_, you think. He’s just teasing you again, how dares he?

You had no idea what he was talking about but one thing for sure you knew: Kim Taehyung was an asshole but he was a handsome asshole, which only made matters worse.

**Author's Note:**

> Done for a challenge on tumblr. This is also my most recent fanfic.


End file.
